Gay Film Fest Puts Spotlight On East Bay

Published 4:00 am, Friday, September 11, 1998

1998-09-11 04:00:00 PDT OAKLAND -- The works of gay and lesbian filmmakers are increasingly prominent, both in breakout hits such as "Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss," and in festivals worldwide.

But Oakland resident Laura Teutschel believed that there was a lack of exposure for more cutting-edge works closer to home.

"I saw a need," she says, particularly given the large number of lesbians and gay men who live in the greater East Bay. "The East Bay has never had its own festival -- some occasional screenings, but never something they would market to the greater East Bay; never something ethnically diverse."

Now the East Bay can claim "Alternate Vision: Diverse Images in Queer Cinema." Working with curator and programming director Tequin Wilson, Teutschel has organized a 10-day gay and lesbian film and video festival with an emphasis on new and unconventional local works.

"We wanted diverse representation," Teutschel says. "I wanted to see filmmakers of color represented and wanted to get away from that glamorized white gay male thing."

She's excited about the showing of "You Don't Know Dick: Courageous Hearts of Transsexual Men" tomorrow night. A panel discussion with the film's producer, James Greene of Emeryville, and some of the film's transgender cast members will be held afterward.

On Sunday night, the festival will present a retrospective of Wendy Levy's short-form films -- an honor that evokes mixed feelings for the East Bay filmmaker. "It's hard to have a retrospective like this when I'm just beginning, just emerging as a filmmaker, but it's been exciting to see the films together," she says.

Her four shorts have been shown in San Francisco, made the rounds of international film festivals (including Sundance) and won awards, yet haven't received much exposure in Oakland.

The retrospective's title, "A Nice Jewish Girl from Brooklyn," isn't completely accurate. The last film in her "nice Jewish girl" triology is still in progress, but it nonetheless reflects a common theme in her work.

The triology consists of "Naomi's Legacy," a 30-minute short about three generations of women inspired by short films Levy's grandfather made and "Swim, Swim . . . Talking to Sperm and Other Desperate Acts," Levy's account of her three-year attempt to get pregnant. It was shown at the Sundance Film Festival in 1997.

"Going to Sundance was like going to the high school prom I never went to," she says. "Sitting with hundreds of people who are laughing at your jokes is the best experience as a filmmaker that I've ever had."

Levy owns Autumn Moon Cafe in Oakland with her partner, Kerry Heffernan, and has focused on the restaurant during the last year. However, she hopes to complete her third short by December. Called "Eating Her Words," it deals with her experience opening the restaurant around the time her father went to prison. She's also in preproduction for a feature-length documentary called "Waitressing in America."

Levy considers the East Bay a "wonderful" place for a filmmaker. "There's an incredible amount of talent and studios and resources. I've been able to raise money, and I feel really, really blessed to make films here."

Alternate Vision's other screenings consist of nightly and weekend matinee features paired with shorts. They range from documentaries touching on gay and lesbian families, relationships and fashion to short films and revivals such as Lizzie Borden's 1983 "Born in Flames." Stephen Winers' "Chocolate Babies," which opens the festival, was shown at the San Francisco International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival this year, and Renee Gaumond's "It's About Love" aired on PBS in June. Most of the nine local filmmakers will attend the screenings, Teutschel says.

The festival was held last year, also at the Parkway, but ran for five weeks in August. "This year, I got smart and cut it down to 10 consecutive days," she says. She was able to coordinate better with East Bay Pride organizer Pete King, who has planned various events throughout the month. She was also able to solicit entries all year and find distributors such as Third World Newsreel in New York City.

No advance tickets are being sold, so Teutschel recommends that moviegoers arrive at least 45 minutes early, both to secure admission and a good seat, as the theater holds only 160 people. This year, Teutschel has lined up gay-friendly sponsors such as Steamworks, Good Vibrations, Brewberry's and Autumn Moon Cafe and local nonprofit groups, most of which will be at the theater. "What we're hoping is that we'll bring a lot of the community together," she says. "I'd like us to get to know each other -- that's my vision."

EAST BAY PRIDE

The "Alternate Vision" film festival is being held in conjunction with the second annual East Bay Pride celebration, a monthlong series of events.

FILM FESTIVAL

"Alternate Vision: Diverse Images in Queer Cinema" runs today-September 20. Screenings are at 6 and 9 p.m. nightly and 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays at the Parkway Theater, 1834 Park Blvd., Oakland. Tickets are $5 and are available nightly at the theater after 5:30 p.m. The theater is wheelchair accessible. Call (510) 271-8090.